Get the Glow: How to Include Vitamin C in Your Life

May 09th 2018

When you’re feeling under the weather and like a cold is about to strike, you’ll probably start to load up on immune-boosting vitamin C – either in vitamin form or fresh fruit and veg. But do you do the same for your skin when it’s feeling a little lacklustre? Read on to find out how vitamin C can improve skin texture and quality in just a few days.

What’s so special about Vitamin C?

Every day, the skin is exposed to environmental aggressors such as UV from the sun, pollution and stress. All of these factors can have a detrimental impact on the skin, increasing the speed of the ageing process – pores can appear enlarged, skin looks dull and wrinkles enhanced. So how to stop this process in its tracks? An antioxidant such as vitamin C can neutralise free radicals, helping the skin to fight against oxidative stress-induced damage. It can also help improve and fight against pigment disorders and inflammation.

What’s the catch?

The one downside to vitamin C is that it’s a fragile antioxidant that degrades quickly when exposed to oxygen, water or heat. So, if you use a vitamin C serum, for example, its potency starts to decrease as soon as you open the lid. Most skincare brands will advise you of the shelf life of a vitamin C product but make sure you check to ensure you’re getting the most from the product.

One ingredient, many names

If you’re actively searching for a face wash, moisturiser or serum that includes vitamin C, be mindful that it can be labelled under a few different guises. Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Ascorbyl Glucoside are all forms of vitamin C. It’s also wise to check the potency to get an idea of its efficacy - anything between 10%-15% is especially effective while a very low dose may not make a huge difference.

How to reap the benefits of vitamin C

Vitamin C’s fragile nature has made it a challenge to capture in the past, but skincare brands such as Vichy have now found a solution. Vichy’s Liftactiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector, for example, is designed as a 10-day treatment. During this time the properties of the serum remain intact and the vitamin C has the time to produce amazing results. It works quickly to reduce the appearance of fine lines, boost radiance and improve the protective effect of the skin barrier.

The best time to use a vitamin C treatment?

We all have times of the year that are particularly busy and hard on the skin such as wedding season or post-festival. Even a change of season can leave the skin looking a little dull and lifeless. This is actually the best time to use a vitamin C treatment as it can help to keep the skin looking bright and healthy – see it as a wake-up call for your complexion. Start to use it 10 days before a big event, or over a period when you know your skin may need some extra help.

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